Mechanical filter



March 13, 1934. H, OWENS MECHANICAL FILTER Original Filed July 1 "I IHIHIIIHIHII &

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Patented Mar. 13, 1934 UNITEB STATES PATENT OFFICE MECHANICAL FILTER Application July 9, 1930, Serial No. 466,730

Renewed August 2, 1933 Claims.

My invention relates to mechanical filters and particularly to a mechanical filter especially adapted for use as a driving connection for a phonograph turntable.

As is well known in the talking picture art, wherein a phonograph sound record is reproduced synchronously with a motion picture projected by the usual apparatus, it is particularly essential, in addition to providing perfectly synchronous driving means for the phonograph turntable and the motion picture projector, to provide a driving means for the phonograph turntable which will insure a smooth, even, constant speed and rotation of the turntable. This is especially necessary because of the great amplification which the reproduced sound received in the theatre and due to which any unevenness or jerkiness or variation in constancy of speed of the turntable, would be readily detected.

It is, therefore, the primary object of my invention to provide a driving connection between the source of power and the phonograph turntable which serves as a filter for any slight variations or unevenness in the driving means, whereby such errors are not communicated to the driven turntable.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of this character which is of extreme simplicity of construction, easily assembled, economical to manufacture, durable and efficient in operation.

More specifically, it is an object to provide a filter means of a character which will absorb any slight shocks, jars or variations in the driving means without communicating them to the driven turntable whereby to insure constant, even, smooth rotation thereof.

Other objects and advantages in details of construction and operation will be apparent as the description proceeds, reference now being had to the figures of the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application and wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a detail cross sectional view illustrating my invention in operative relation with a turntable and driving means therefor.

Figure 2 is a detail perspective view of my mechanical filter.

The reference character 1 refers to a driving shaft which may receive its rotary motion from any suitable source, such as from the motion picture projector with which this device may be operated or from an independent motor or other source of power, one illustrative means being indicated by the belt 2, operative with a pulley 3 on the shaft 1, which pulley 3 may also serve as a balance wheel for such shaft.

The shaft 1 is provided with a worm 4 meshing with a worm gear 5 provided with an upstanding driving sleeve 6 journaled in a bearing 7 provided as apart of the casting or housing 8 formed with the upwardly extending flanges 9 thus providing a cup-like receptacle within which the turntable 10 is adapted to be mounted in a manner to be described.

Also formed as part of the casting or housing 8 are the downwardly extending walls 11 extending between which is a partition 12 providing a compartment 13 within which the worm 4 and worm gear 5 are located. The partition 12 is provided with an upstanding hollow bearing 14 on the upper face of which the worm gear 5 is rotatably supported. Within this hollow bearing 14 is disposed a thrust bearing 15 supporting on its upper end a shaft 16, a thrust washer 17 being disposed between the lower end of the shaft 16 and the thrust bearing 15.

The shaft 16 extends upwardly through the sleeve 6 and is slightly reduced in diameter for a portion of its length intermediate its ends as at 18. The shaft 16 extends upwardly beyond the upper end of the sleeve 6 and may be tapered as at 19 to receive the tapered recess or socket 20 provided centrally of the turntable 10 whereby such turntable fits tightly thereon for rotation therewith. The extreme upper end of the shaft 16 is reduced as at 21 to form a spindle extending upwardly through the turntable and over which the opening 22 provided centrally of the sound record 23 fits as the record is placed on the turntable. A weight 24 may be provided with a recess 25 to receive the spindle portion 21 and bear upon the record 23 whereby to prevent relative rotation of such record with respect to the turntable 10.

The sleeve 6 is provided adjacent its upper end with a pair of parallel laterally extending pins 26, the shaft 16 being grooved as at 27 to accommodate such pins. The shaft 16 is provided also with a laterally extending pin 28 parallel with the pins 26 and disposed slightly above the upper end of the sleeve 6. The ends of the pins 26 and 28 are all connected by means of flexible members 29 such as rubber or other suitable material. These flexible members 29 comprise therefore, the actual driving connection between the driving sleeve 6 and the driven shaft 16, for, obviously upon rotation of the sleeve 6 the pins 26 carried thereby will naturalill) ly rotate therewith and by virtue of the flexible members 29 and the pin 28 connected thereto and with the shaft 16, such shaft will also be rotated.

The flexibility and resilience of the connecting members 29 cause such members to act as sort of shock absorbers and serve to absorb or take up any slight irregularities of movement which may be present in the rotation of the sleeve 6, due to possible unevenness of the source of power through the shaft 1 or other slight irregularities or errors which may be communicated to the driving sleeve 6. Any such irregularities are communicated through the pins 26 to the flexible connecting members 29, which, because of their tortional elasticity accommodate or absorb the same without communicating them to the pin 28 and consequently the shaft 16, which rotates the turntable 10 and sound record 23.

Thus there is provided a simple, yet effective mechanical filter as a driving connection between the driving means and the driven sound record, whereby to insure an even smooth constant drive for the record.

Of course, changes may be made in details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. I do not limit myself, therefore, to the exact form herein shown and described other than by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a hollow driving sleeve, a shaft disposed therethrough, laterally extending parallel pins certain of which are carried by said sleeve and the others by said shaft, and flexible means connecting the ends of said pins.

2. In combination, a hollow driving sleeve, a shaft disposed therethrough, and laterally extending parallel pins certain of which are carried by said sleeve and the others by said shaft, the ends of all of said pins being secured in a flexible connecting block.

3. In combination, a hollow driving sleeve, a shaft extending therethrough, laterally disposed parallel pins certain of which are carried by said sleeve and the others by said shaft and extending on opposite sides thereof, and flexible blocks connecting the ends of said pins.

4. In combination, a hollow driven sleeve, a shaft extending therethrough, and laterally disposed pins certain of which are carried by said sleeve and the others by said shaft and extending on opposite sides thereof, the adjacent ends of said pins being connected by rubber blocks carried by said pins.

5. In combination, a hollow driving sleeve, a shaft extending therethrough and adapted to re ceive at its upper extending end a phonograph turntable, a pair of laterally disposed parallel pins carried by said sleeve and extending on opposite sides thereof, a laterally disposed pin carried by said shaft in spaced parallel relation to said first named pins, and rubber blocks carried by and connecting the ends of all of said pins.

FREEMAN H. OWENS. 

